Something Simple
by Origami Stars
Summary: Something small can have a big impact to those around you. Spongebob and Sandy are dating and Pearl finds out the hard way. AU, Humanized, SpongebobxSandy
1. A Simple Date

I own nothing.

This story is humanized.

"Look at that one, Sandy. It looks like a turtle."

"Oh. I was gonna say that it looked like a bunch of water vapor floating in the sky, but ok."

He snorted. "You're not very good at this are you?" They were laying on a picnic blanket on one of the many hills in butterfly fields. Their hands were interlocked and they were laying close together.

"I'm sorry, I've been a bit busy with my experiments lately and I haven't gotten much sleep."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. What are you working on?"

"Just some stuff on electromagnetism, nothing to big."

"Oh." He had no idea what electromagnetism was. "Can I help?"

"Uh... That may not be a good idea, Bobby." she said, calling him by the affectionate nickname she had for him.

"Why?"

"Do you know what electromagnetism is?"

"Nope!"

"And you still want to help?"

"Yep!"

"Wouldn't you rather focus on more important things?" she asked, turning to look at him and giving him a shy smile.

"You mean like work?"

She sighed heavily and stood up. "Never mind." she said, helping her boyfriend up too.

"Soooo," he said nonchalantly as he dusted off his pants, "got any plans for Saturday?"

"Is this what I think it is?"

"There's a commercial free marathon of Disney movies on Saturday; do you want to watch it with me?"

"Sure! We've been together for almost two weeks; it's high time you finally asked me on a date. Even if we're not going out anywhere."

They continued talking and packed up their stuff and started heading back to the town. Once they got to the Krusty Krab, Spongebob kissed Sandy goodbye. On his way inside, he passed a flustered-looking Pearl (which he assumed had something to do with his boss) and greeted her. She smiled weakly at him and said "Hi" back and left in a hurry.

"Hi, Squidward! Do you know what has Pearl so upset?"

"She came in here looking for her 'daddy' and I told her that he went home sick because of some money-related crisis."

"Oh."

With that, Spongebob went on happily with his day.

A/N: Disney because everybody loves Disney movies. I have not met anyone who doesn't at least like one.


	2. A Simple Heartbreak

Pearl was nervous when she walked through the doors of her daddy's restaurant. She was going to ask him if she could date his loyal employee, Spongebob. Pearl believed herself to be very mature for her age and thought he was perfect for her; he just needed to notice her. She needed to be professional about this, she didn't want her daddy to come between them

She stopped at his office and took a deep breath, steeling herself. Pearl pushed open the door and called out, "Dad?" She got no reply, so she opened the door further and looked in. It was empty. Huh.

Pearl let the door fall closed and made her way over to where Squidward was sitting. "Hi, Squidward. Have you seen my dad?" She tried to see his face over his Dance Quarterly.

"He left about an hour ago." He turned a page in the magazine.

"Why?"

"Nearly had a heart attack. Something about someone wanting a refund for a burnt patty. Pshhh. Like they're any better cooked normally."

"Is he going to be ok?"

"He'll be fine. He just needs to lay down."

"Oh." She was glad he was going to be ok.

Her daddy not being in here would actually help her plan along. If he knew she had a crush on Spongebob, he would say the age difference was too much. She could make her date with Spongebob and then tell her daddy after the fact. Then he would have to go along with it! This would work. She was sure of it.

Pearl was content as she walked through the restaurant, her new strategy in mind. She saw Spongebob and started making her way over towards the glass doors. That _girl_ was was with him, though. No matter, it looked like she was about to leave, anyway. Then Pearl would have her crush all to herself and her brilliant plan would... Her thoughts trailed off as she saw Spongebob kiss Sandy goodbye. On the mouth. In front of her.

Pearl felt several things at once: shock, betrayal, disbelief, and... something else build up inside her, but she ignored them and shoved it to the back of her mind. She needed to get through this encounter first.

"Hi, Pearl!" he greeted in his enthusiastically friendly way as he walked past her. Not at all the way he greeted or talked to Sandy.

"H-hi Spongebob." Pearl's breathing hitched as she watched him walk right past her. Like she didn't matter. Her lip quivered. 'Gotta get home,' she thought, 'just make it home then you can deal with this.' she began walking in the direction of her house, wondering how _they_ even happened. She wasn't fast enough. She didn't spend as much time with him as she could have. She hadn't given it her all!

Right?

She had known him much longer than Sandy! The girl only moved here two years ago! Pearl had been friends with him before that cowpoke even _knew_ where 'here' _was_! She stopped.

Friends.

That's what they were. Just friends.

She fumbled with her house key and stumbled in, breathing shakily. She felt tears threaten to spill, but she just barely held them back. _Bathroom_. She needed to get to the bathroom. Her dad was home. He couldn't hear her, he just _couldn't_. She shut the bathroom door behind her and turned on the shower. She tossed her clothes carelessly to the floor and didn't bother taking out her ponytail.

She stepped into the shower and let the warm water caress her. She briefly forgot why she was there and was calm for all about five seconds... before her mind replayed the image of Spongebob kissing Sandy. She shuttered as she slid down to her knees, hands in front of her while she choked on a sob. Saltwater mixed with freshwater as she curled in on herself, wondering why this was happening.

It hurt. So much. Her heart was broken.

Shattered.

How could he do that?

She knew, though. They were together.

Boyfriend and girlfriend.

Of _course_ they would kiss, that's what boyfriends and girlfriends _did_. That fact didn't make it any less painful, though.

She had wanted him for herself, and she thought she would be the only girl in his life. She thought she had a good chance to win his heart. She tried, too.

She really tried.

But... he only saw her as a friend. Then that girl came and ruined any chance for her to be with him.

She should be happy for him, right? She remembered someone, she didn't know who anymore, had told her that people who loved someone put the loved one's happiness above their own.

'If you really love him, let him go.'

She didn't want to let him go, though. However, she would have to. She just wasn't the right girl for him.

She knew she would get through this. Just... not right now. Eventually. He wasn't the first boy she had liked, just... he was the strongest she had felt for. And his rejection, even if he didn't mean to hurt her, was one of the worst.

She hung her head and listened to the water swirling around her, letting her non-relationship with Spongebob join the liquid in the drain.


End file.
